Meet The Perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookies—sweet, soft, chewy, and brimming with nostalgia. AKA my Molasses Oatmeal Cookies. I personally feel like PERFECT is a better name, so that’s what we call them in my house. They really are that timeless treat that brings back childhood memories. Not only warming your heart, but fulfilling your sweet tooth without spending all day in the kitchen.
Here we are once again enjoying “sweater weather” season. As I see the calendar inch it’s way towards December, I start searching for all the warm & cozy flavors I can get my hands on before I blink and Spring arrives. Living in the extreme heat of Arizona all summer long, has most of us waiting with bated breath for the clock to strike midnight, ringing in the first day of fall and ALL that comes with the change of seasons.
Cookies are my go-to treat to have on hand for an after dinner dessert and there’s something special about these little nuggets baking in the oven. Filling your kitchen with the scent of warm cinnamon, sweet raisins and a hint of toasted walnuts, making them the epitome of homey goodness.
It’s not just the taste that makes these cookies perfect for us, it also makes a VERY large batch that allows me to bake one tray for today and scoop & freeze the rest for another. All I have to do is reach into my freezer and pop a couple onto a baking sheet. No need to defrost or rest on the counter. Straight into the oven they go, all they need is an extra minute or two to bake. They are the ideal cookie to make ahead for the ease of baking straight out of the freezer.
What You’ll Need: Crafting Your Perfect Cookie
Old-Fashioned Oats & Quick Oats- Old-fashioned oats bring a hearty chewiness to your cookie, adding texture and depth. On the other hand, quick oats offer a smoother consistency. The combination of both makes it the IDEAL texture of dough. Creating the perfect blend of chewy and tender. If all you have is one or the other, make the cookies anyways, they’ll still be GREAT!
All-Purpose Flour
Raisins- Those chewy bursts of sweetness are like nature’s candy, but they’re not just for flavor. Raisins are rich in natural sugars, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins & minerals like iron and potassium. They certainly are a testament to the fact that good things come in small packages.
TIP: There’s a little trick that’ll make your raisins bake better in your cookies. Give those raisins a quick soak for extra plumpness by letting them sit in boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain well & let them cool before adding to the dough. This simple step prevents them from stealing moisture from the dough during baking, keeping everything extra soft.
Toasted Walnuts- (optional) Though these are not required, it is undeniable that a handful of toasted walnuts elevate these cookies to a whole new level.
How to toast walnuts: In a small, dry frying pan turn the heat to medium and stir the walnuts for about 1-2 minutes or until dark brown but not burned. Let cool and chop, set aside.
Molasses- Even just a tablespoon adds a depth and complexity to your cookie. Molasses has a very distinctive taste, making it a perfect ingredient to take this recipe up a notch. It also packs a nutritional punch, much like the raisins. If you LOVE molasses like I do, add the second tablespoon, especially if all you have is light brown sugar.
Cinnamon- optional
Ground Cloves- optional
Butter- The real deal, no margarine please. Unsalted or salted is okay, if you are using salted, you can reduce the added salt to taste as needed. I personally never reduce the salt because there are so many sweet components that everything seems to balance out in the end.
DARK Brown Sugar- Adds a touch of caramel-like richness and also adds to that chewiness.
I like to make my own Blackstrap Molasses Brown Sugar, see how here.
Vanilla Extract or Paste
Large Egg & Yolk- room temperature
Baking Soda
Salt
Cookie Scoops- (optional). You can also make medium cookies with a medium scoop OR larger cookies with a large 3 ounce cookie scoop. Don’t have a cookie scoop? No problem, medium cookies are 2 tablespoons each and large cookies are 3 tablespoons each. Bake according to the directions in the recipe card below.
NOTE: Makes about 48 with the medium and 24 with the large. This will vary depending on how you measure your ingredients and how you scoop.
Large Half Sheet Baking Sheet- I use two of them. One for baking and one for setting a batch for the freezer. If you do not have these trays, use what you do have on hand.
TIPS: Be mindful that darker coating on non-stick trays will brown faster and it is NOT recommended that these cookies be baked on an unlined surface.
Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mats- For lining and preparing your baking trays.
Digital Gram Scale- (optional) I prefer to use my scale for accuracy and ease. I use less dishes with this method and the whole process goes much quicker.
How to measure dry ingredients: Metric measurements are provided in the recipe card below. If measuring by volume, scoop the dry ingredients into the cup and level off. When measuring the molasses, coat it with oil first so it glides off easier.
Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Cooling Rack- (optional)
The Quest for the Perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
Room temperature ingredients are best so the ingredients cream together nicely.
Use soaked raisins that have been drained and cooled. This prevents a dry cookie. The raisins that have been soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes will produce a more tender cookie because it will not draw out moisture from the other ingredients as it bakes.
Don’t like spice? Skip the cinnamon.
Love the spice? Definitely use the cinnamon and try adding a touch of ground clove.
Don’t over mix. This can make for a “tough” cookie and not the one you will enjoy.
Don’t overbake. You want a cookie that is slightly crisp on the outside but chewy on the inside. All ovens can vary on baking temperatures. They are ready when they no longer look “wet” and maybe slightly & very light golden.
Inclusions & Variations: Don’t love raisins but love oatmeal cookies? Skip the raisins and swap out for chocolate chips and nuts or other dried fruits such as cranberries or dried blueberries. Can’t have nuts? Add more raisins or chocolate chips (white, milk, semi-sweet, dark). Don’t love walnuts? Try pecans. No need to toast pecans, just chop and toss in the dough. Get creative, add what you like as long as it is an equal swap.
Batch Baking: How to freeze cookie dough
Freezing pre-scooped, unbaked cookie dough is like having a secret stash of instant comfort ready whenever you need it. Here’s how you do it:
Once you’ve prepared the dough, portion out your cookies with a medium scoop onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or even freezer paper. No need to allow for much room in-between since we are not baking these ones yet.
Pop the tray into the freezer until the dough balls are firm, about one hour. Then, transfer them into a labeled airtight container or a zip-top bag. I always write the baking instructions incase I forget or if my family is treating themselves to fresh baked cookies.
When the craving hits, simply grab as many as you want to bake, space them out on a baking sheet, and bake as normal, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time. Voilà—a warm batch of freshly baked cookies any time a craving hits! Whether it’s an impromptu treat or completely planned, your frozen cookie dough stash is there to save the day.
Baking memories, one cookie at a time…
As you enjoy the cookies you made with your own two hands, you’re not just enjoying a treat—you’re creating memories. These cookies, with their heartwarming combination of molasses, oats, and raisins. They are filled with comfort, reminding us that baking is more than just a mix of ingredients; it’s an experience that connects us to the past, a taste of childhood and home. So, whether you’re enjoying these cookies with a cup of tea, sharing them with loved ones, or simply treating yourself, remember that joy can even be found in the little things.
Love cookies? Check out my other recipes!
Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
Strawberries & Cream Shortbreads
Meyer Lemon Drop Shortbread Cookies
Healthy Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
If you try our version of The Perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookies or any of my other recipes, comment & rate below.
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The Perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Cookie Scoop, optional. Medium or Large
- 1-2 Large Half Sheet Baking Trays
- Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper
- 1 Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- 1 Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1-1/4 cup DARK brown sugar, store-bought or homemade. SEE ARTICLE ABOVE.
- 1 large eggs room temperature
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- 1-2 tablespoons molasses, add according to your preference. SEE NOTES.
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, SEE NOTES BELOW.
- 1/2 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon*, use less or none if you prefer.
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves*, OPTIONAL
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup quick oats, you can use all old-fashioned or all quick.
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts*, toasted (optional), SEE NOTES
- 1-1/2 cups raisins*, SEE NOTES
Instructions
- *Start by measuring your raisins into a medium heat-proof bowl. Boil enough water to cover them and pour the water over the raisins, let soak for 5 minutes. Set a timer.
- While the raisins are soaking, toast your walnuts if you like. Let cool.
- DRAIN the raisins and chop the walnuts, set aside.
- Prepare your baking trays with parchment or silicone baking mats. One for freezing and one for baking. You can freeze them all at once OR bake them all at once too. Do what works best for you here.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
- Beat the softened butter on setting 2 or 4 (low-medium speed) of your stand mixer for about two minutes, until it has lightened in color and is very creamy. (If using a hand mixer, place butter in a large mixing bowl)
- Add the brown sugar to the butter and beat for another minute, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Next, add the egg and yolk, vanilla, and molasses (see notes, I recommend adding 2 tablespoons if you don't have dark brown sugar). Mix at level 1 or 2 (low speed) for about 1 minute until well combined. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Measure in the flour on top of the wet mixture. Place the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon on top of the flour, making sure there are no clumps in your baking soda. With a large spatula, mix in the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides and paying careful attention not to overmix.
- Fold in the oats, raisins and walnuts. Scoop the cookies you are baking now about 2 inches apart. Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes for a MEDIUM/2 tablespoon cookie OR 13-15 minutes for the LARGE/3 tablespoon cookie.If they look wet, they are not cooked. In that case, just add a minute at a time until they are done. They will be very lightly browned. Be careful not to overbake or they will not be chewy.
- While the cookies are baking, scoop the rest onto the other prepared baking sheet. There is no need to space them far apart because these are going into the FREEZER. I prefer this method so I can have freshly baked cookies as I need them. Freeze them for 1-2 hours, then place in a labeled freezer Ziploc bag (including baking directions) and store in the freezer for 3-6 months. Bake as needed from frozen for about 14-15 minutes for the medium and 15-16 minutes for the large in a pre-heated oven. NO need to defrost before baking.
- NOTE: You can also chill these in the fridge, tightly covered in plastic wrap for up to 24 hours before baking to intensify the flavors. This also a great way to achieve that perfect oatmeal cookie!
- Cool the baked cookies on the tray for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Store in an air-tight container on your counter for up to 5 days.
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